


Betray and Rebel

by Ready1set2die3



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Betrayal, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Jealousy, Rebels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-06-05 01:53:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15159830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ready1set2die3/pseuds/Ready1set2die3
Summary: Zim expected praise and maybe even some contact to his beloved Tallest. He didn't expect to be trapped in a cell with no contact except from drones.





	1. Control

"Hello Zim. Here is your weekly dosage of sugar." The drone said reaching out and plunging the needle into Zim's right arm. The drone removed the needle and dropped Zim's arm. The drone watched pink blood drip into the dried puddle from the week before.

Zim's eye slowly opened to reveal emotionless and dull magenta eyes. His antenna perked up but quickly fell at at the drone before him.

"You seem to be functioning correctly." The drone pressed a triangle shaped button and began talking. "Day 2920. Zim seems to be...intact. Eyes seem to be functioning accurately. Antennae seem to functioning correctly. Zim has still not spoken since day 1095. Checking PAK functions now." The drone walked around Zim's motionless body and to his PAK.

Zim twitched at the drone's hands. The drone once again spoke in his monotone voice. "PAK functions seem to be functioning correctly. That's all for day 2920." The drone once again pushed the triangle shaped button. With that final click the drone left leaving Zim alone in the cold and musty cell.

Zim listened to the drone's steps fade away. Zim silently begged for the drone to return. To talk about anything or to even beat him, but of course that never happened. Drones weren't souppoused to talk to prisoners or patients just tend to them, report, and leave.

_"Maybe they can talk! They just don't want to talk to you!"_ Zim flinched at the voice.

He forcibly turned his eyes towards the voice. An Irken stood to his right. It evilly smirked at Zim. _"What's with that fear in your eyes? Don't I bring you pleasure? Joy?"_ The Irken spoke with each word it took a step towards Zim.

Zim turned his eyes back toward the steel floor below him. He hated the Irken. It's voice pounded into Zim's head like the bell in-

_"School? That's what your thinking about really? Geez you're so desperate for someone to talk to you thought about school."_ The Irken squatted down bringing it's face closer to Zim. _"I'm not that bad you know."_

Zim chose not to respond to the Irken. The Irken sighed and stood straight walking around the room. With every step it took it would click it's tounge. Zim looked up finding the Irkens form. It looked like Zim, except it's skin was the color of a dead leaf. Lifeless green. That's what Zim called it anyway.

_"You know you're a failure. You conquered the planet Earth and all its stupid meat sacks. And then you lost it all in under ten fucking minutes."_ The Irken said with venom and hatred.

Zim pulled his legs into himself and whimpered at the Irkens ruthless eyes. Zim couldn't fight the thing. No matter what Zim did he couldn't get it out of his system. System? System!

Zim pushed out his legs and looked at his arm. Zim began searching his arm for the hole the drone had made. Zim perked up at finally finding the hole.

_"Congratulations you found the hole. Now fucking what you dumbass?"_ The Irken chuckled at him.

Zim looked up at the Irken. And for the first time in 2920 days he smirked. The Irken's red eyes grew in fear and anger.

_"Don't you fucking dare! You utterly stupid defe-"_

Zim bared his teeth and bit into his arm. Zim cringed at the unusual sweet taste of his blood. Zim opened his mouth and spit out the sweet flavor of his blood. From what knowledge Zim carried, Irken blood held a strong metallic taste not sweet. Zim watched as his arm bled dark pink onto the concrete. Irken blood was bright translucent pink, not dark pink.

Zim watched his arm bleeding for what felt like hours until he realized something. It was questionably quiet. The voice made no comment, complaint, or curse Zim. Zim looked up from his wound and was met with the steel magenta walls. The Irken was nowhere in sight. Zim didn't know how his species did it, but they managed to bend Irken blood into their own whim. And now that Zim knew he wouldn't let it happen again.

>>><<<  
Zim sat as motionless as he could waiting for the drone to leave. "That's all for day 2930." The drone said pressing the button and clicking the cell door shut.

Zim listened to the drone's boots fade into the distance. With each step Zim got more and more impatient. Finally the drone's footsteps completely faded.

"Stupid drones." Zim mumbled to himself before standing up and stretching his legs.

"Round four." Zim said to himself before bearing his teeth once more and sinking them into his green flesh.

Zim spit out the sweet hot pink liquid. "Okay let's see. Where the fuck was I?" Zim questioned himself walking over to the far left wall.

"Twenty, twenty-five, thirty!" Zim reached out pressing against the magenta steel wall. He just had to find a way out before they found out his tricks. The drone already questioned why his blood was everywhere before. So when the drone reached out to grab his shoulder Zim thought fast and acted feral. It worked. For now at least.

Zim pressed his antennae against the wall and listened. He clicked his tounge for every silent second. He reached the bottom of the panel and sighed. It felt stupid to keep doing this, but this was Zim's only option. His only way out.

"Onto thirty-one I souppouse." Zim quietly mumbled.

Zim repeated the process twenty more times before be reached the end on the left wall. Zim sat against the wall and turned towards the cell door. He thought for a moment.

"Nope. Not even big enough to fit my arms through. Maybe my fingers but what the hell will that do." He crossed his arms and turned towards the ceiling.

Zim began stratigizing inside his mind on what to do next. Plan after plan. Elimination after elimination. Finally he decided on the most basic plan, for now.

1\. Escape  
2\. Get Gir-if he was still there  
3\. Get voot cruiser   
4\. Leave armada

Zim stood up and moved to the right side of the cell. He pressed his hand against the panel and leaned his antennae against it. He began clicking his tounge.

Click, click, click, click, beep, click, cli-

"Beep?" Zim questioned and leaned against the panel harder.

Click, beep, click, beep, beep.

"Why is it beeping?" Zim thought before taking steps back. The beeping had begun to get louder as if a warning. Zim decided to heed the warning and ran to the farthest corner of the cell.

The beeps soon echoed throughout the hall. Zim took note that there were more than one beeps. The beeps now seemed to get faster. Zim tensed when he heard footsteps coming down the steps of the cells.

An Irken began screaming, "What the he-" Before the Irken could even finish explosions erupted throughout the cells including Zim's cell. He fell to his knees as the explosion made the floor below him tremble and break.

Zim looked up noticing a hole was now decorating his cell wall. Zim tried standing but when it proved futile he crawled. He looked out of the circle to see fellow prisoners confused and bewildered at the sight of freedom. The floor below them seized trembling. Irken gaurds stood whipping out their guns.

"GET DOWN! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! DOWN ON THE FLOOR!" One of the gaurds yelled with malice.

Zim stood up and held onto the singed wall. Emotions welled up in Zim. Anger, sadness, confusion, happiness, but the most strongest of them all betrayal. Zim took a step out of his cell and flung himself at the nearest gaurd.

Prisoners watched in amazement and fear. Zim was fast and deadly. He bit and clawed through gaurd after gaurd.

Zim panted and stared at the dead Irken below him. "Prisoner Zim." A deadly voice said behind him. Zim froze when he felt something cold against his head.

"You die here. You fucking defec-" Zim waited for him to finish, but when he felt the cold surface move away from his head he stood confused.

Zim turned around coming face to face with a girl from the Crystalies species. Zim looked at her hand to see pink translucent blood drip from it. Zim raised his hand and shook her hand.

"I am Zim."

"I am-"

Again another explosion sounded forcing the prisoners to their knees. They all looked above them when they heard screams of pain and those of joy.

"What in Irk?" Zim questioned forcing himself to stand and leaned against the wall. Zim bent down quickly and retrieved the gun that once was turned against him.

Zim looked up once more before making his mind up and stumbling towards the stairs. 


	2. Fearless

"Wait!" Zim felt an arm land on his shoulder. He turned around meeting eyes with the Crystalie that saved his life.

"What?"

"Are-are you sure about going up there? We don't know who's up there!" The Crystalie showed signs of distress and worry. Zim shrugged off her hand and stepped onto the first step. He watched pink translucent blood drip down the step and onto his barefoot.

"Yes...for all we know they could be the ones who freed us. Who gave us another chance to do the right thing." Zim turned around meeting the Crystalie's eyes. "And Zim is going to take that chance and not let go." Zim turned back around and sprinted up the steps the laser gun in his hands lowered for now.

Zim planted himself to the wall once he reached the last step. Three halls caught his attention. The left "Prisoner Unit 2". Straight ahead "S.I.R Unit". And the right "Main Hallway". Zim clenched his fist around the laser gun. Gir's dead gray eyes flashed through his mind. The words accompanying the image pushing him to go through the center hall.

_"I'll wait for you master."_

Zim ran through the hall his feet aching against the cold metal. His hands clenched tightly around the laser gun ready to shoot. Zim's eyes stung from the bright lightening of the hall. Zim felt his antennae perk up at the feel of someone behind him. His first thought was the young Crystalie girl, but his thought was shattered when a blue laser beam shot past him.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE IRKEN SCUM!" The voice was loud and strong. Zim cursed to himself before taking off running once again. He needed Gir. He couldn't leave without Gir.

"I SAID STOP!" A beam shot sounded throughout the hall. Zim threw himself against the floor feeling the beams heat just above his antennae.

Zim heard the voice curse before a clank and heavy boots hit the ground. The chase was on. Zim stood and ran as fast as his broken body could. Zim felt slight joy rise when he saw S.I.R units being built at the end of the hall. Zim disregarded the running figure behind him as he stepped through into the threshold of the unit.

Zim stopped in the middle of the room looking for any sign of his S.I.R unit. Zim knew Gir wasn't the brightest, but he knew that Gir was always there for him and ready. Zim took one step forward, but before he could even lift his left leg a pain surged throughout his small body.

His screams echoed throughout the room as electricity ran through his body. Zim felt tears gather at the bottom of his eyes. His knees involuntary doubled sending him collapsing to the metallic floor below. Something fell from his PAK making him cringe at the empty feeling.

Footsteps sounded behind him, accompanied by panting. Zim blinked letting the tears fall freely from his eyes. He heard the footsteps stop behind him and pull something out. Zim took this chance to look around the room. Bins of finished S.I.R units were pushed off to the sides, but one particular red bin caught his eye. In big bold black letters it spelled out "TRASH".

Zim's antennae perked at that. He could hear the person behind him messing around with something, they were distracted. Zim took that chance and looked around for the laser gun. Thankfully it wasn't as far as he thought that would be. He used his antennae as a lookout. Zim slowly reached out his arm. The skin on his arm cracking from how damaged it was.

Then his antennae began to rattle. The person was looking at them. Zim quickly reached out when the person stepped out to reach for him. He gripped the gun turned onto his side and shot blindly. A spell or cures drifted through through the air accompanied by a sizzling sound. Zim hit his mark.

Zim quickly stood ignoring the cracking of his skin and the translucent blood dripping through said cracks. He limped to the trash bin and jumped in. Broken S.I.R units piled on top of each other. Zim dug through the S.I.R units looking for Gir. His pink blood dripping onto the S.I.R units below and around him.

"GET BACK HERE!" A pair of arms gripped his waist and began pulling.

Zim felt tears gather and fall once again as he struggled and searched. He just needed to find Gir and everything would be fine. Everything would be okay. He just needed his Gir.

"Please!" Zim sobbed. "Let me find Gir! And then I'll do anything!" Zim was ripped out of the trash and thrown onto the floor. His PAK hit the floor hard enough to send a jolt of pain through Zim's bones.

Zim couldn't give up now. He was too close. He gripped the side of the big bin of "trash" and tried to pull himself up. However his wounds had made him reach his breaking point. His skin was cracked and spilling pink translucent blood at alarming rates. His PAK was missing a peice and most likely dented. And most importantly he had failed Gir.

"I'm sorry Gir. Zim failed you." Zim stared at the floor as his body began shutting down.

"You didn't fail me." Zim felt tears streak across his face as he smiled.

"I did Gir. For Irk sake I see you right here in front of me even though you aren't." Zim said his voice breaking to emit hiccups and sobs.

Zim watched as the Gir before him squatted down and reached out. Zim expected nothing. Not even a gust of wind. So the feeling of cold hard metal with a familar touch startled him.

"I'm right here. Please don't cry master." Gir said his cyan eyes showing joy and sadness within them.

Zim reached up stroking the small robots cheek. "How-how did you get here?" Zim questioned a sob released soon after.

Gir stood straight and pointed behind Zim. "Mary helped me! He's like a superhero! He promised to rescue you!" Gir finished with a wide smile plastered across his features.

Zim stared at the floor once again. The one who shot him, who chased him, who hurt him. Was-

"Dib" Zim said without turning to meet the boy in question. Zim heard shifting behind him before he was lifted up. Now in his line of sight was Dib. Dib stared at Zim with guilt, sadness, and something Zim couldn't quite point out. Pity? No, definitely not.

Zim reached out stroking Dib's cheek just as he did Gir. "Dib-bitch." Zim said with playfulness and a hint of anger.

"Hi Zim." Dib said a smile spreading out onto his lips, but it didn't meet his eyes.

Zim knew it wasn't a real smile. He knew that Dib felt guilty and anger. Zim however still smiled back.

 **"Initiating system shut down for repairs in 20 seconds."** The voice broke the trance between the two.

**"20...19...18...17-"**

"Zim? What's happening!?" Dib yelled holding Zim tightly.

**"14...13-"**

"Listen Dib my PAK is shutting down to repair itself and me. Just...don't lose me. I don't know how long it will take-"

 **"0...shut down commencing. Repairs in progress**."

Dib watched as Zim's eyes dulled and closed. Dib felt Gir latch onto his leg. Tears streamed down Dib's guilt ridden face. He had done this to Zim. Dib tightened his hold on Zim's body and turned to walk out-

**Click...click...click**

Dib paused and looked down at Zim.

**Click...click...click**

Dib felt his heart beat pick up as the clicks continued. Dib felt as if he should be afraid of those clicks. So with speed he picked up Gir and began running to his ship. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! Please share, leave a kudos, and especially a comment! Later all! 
> 
> Questions? Fanart? Or just wanna talk find me on  
> Instagram: ready1set2die3  
> Tumblr: ready1set2die3


	3. Ticking

Dark, cold, lonely. Those were the only words he could use to describe his prison. His hell. The metal panels sometimes groaned, but it wasn't enough to fill the silence that suffocated him. He should have known that it was all a dream. Gir was dead. Dib was dead. He was soon to join them.

Zim glanced around his prison cell. It was darker than normal. Did the Tallest decide to cut power in the cells for conservation? It wasn't an unlikely possibility. They had done that with their food. Instead of food they reserved those wretched needles full of sweet syrup.

"Sweet syrup" His words echoed throughout the cell. He never did like that, at least when he got here he didn't. It was as if the cell was mocking him.

Zim closed his eyes. He needed sleep. He wanted sleep. It was the only thing that would take him away from this world.

_"Zim?"_

Zim flinched at the voice and looking around his cell. Of course no one was there. He had heard of people going crazy and hallucinating while in prison. So he could only conclude that what he heard was a hallucination. A very vivid hallucination. He let out a quiet sigh and once again closed his eyes.

_"Zim, if you can hear me you have to wake up!"_

This time Zim didn't flinch but snapped his eyes open. Once again, no one stood in his cell. It was only him and the darkness in the small cell. Zim stared at the darkness around him. His antennae didn't sense any motions or noises, so no one was there he knew it.

Zim looked at his hands and let out a weak chuckle. He was truly going crazy. Zim sighed closing his eyes and leaned against the wall. The metal wall was cold and felt like it was burning him, but he found that he didn't care.

_"Zim please! We need you!"_

Zim shook his head. "What do you need me for? I've gone utterly crazy." He commented deciding to entertain the madness within him.

 _"No you haven't! Please!" Lasers and screams echoed around Zim_.

"Clearly I have. Your not real. I'm stuck in a cell with nothing but the darkness and madness." He said waving his hand dismissively.

_Zim heard a low growl through all the sounds. It sounded as if it was right next to him, but he knew it wasn't. It couldn't be, no one was allowed in his cell especially, except for the drone._

"Why are you angry with Zim?" Zim asked the nothingness around him.

 _"Because we need your help to get us out-"_ Zim gasped and sat up as the world around him began to tremble and break apart. Voices around him screamed in pain. Lasers had stopped firing. And his world began to melt around him.

Flickering in and out of view was the real world. The world he dreamt. The world he assumed was nothing but a filthy lie. He blinked flickering back into his cell he sat astonished at the sight. Again he blinked and there he sat behind cover in the middle of a war. He looked to his left Dib stood there firing shot after shot. To his left Gaz who typed away at a laptop.

"Gaz! Did you figure it out yet!?" Dib yelled over the shots and screams.

Gaz let out a growl, "no! They made it unhackable! Everytime I get past a firewall another one with different codes pops up!" Another explosion sounded causing the world around them to tremble. "Fuck!" Gaz cried her laptop being flung from her lap and into the line of fire.

Zim blinked finding himself back in the cell, but this time it was bigger. Zim stood up his body aching at the sudden change in positions. Dib yelled something at him, but Zim didn't pick it up.

"Dib, I can't understand you here." Zim said in the direction Dib was. Dib said something again but it was nothing more than sounds and words meshed together.

"Dib something is wrong with my PAK." He blinked and turned to Dib. His face was covered by a navy blue helmet. The only way he knew it was Dib was due to the glasses reflecting in the light.

"I can't understand you when I'm," Zim paused trying to find anyway to explain. "When I'm in prison."

"Prison? Zim your not in prison anymore!" Dib yelled at Dib before shooting at an Irken that came too close for his liking.

"I understand this Dib! However my PAK does not!" Zim blinked finding himself back in the cell. He groaned in frustration. Dib's voice ran through the cell, again nothing but sounds and meshed words. They echoed off the metallic walls and bounced back towards Zim. He blinked.

"Zim? Can you hear me!?" Dib yelled at Zim over the rapid shots. Zim nodded. "Good before you go back to-um-prison, can you get us out of here?"

Zim looked back at Gaz who had also began shooting. So that's what Gaz was doing on her laptop. Zim plastered himself to the floor and crawled around Gaz. He peeked around their cover, Irken gaurds had them surrounded. Zim turned back to Dib.

"Where's Gir!?"

Dib ducked behind the cover before answering. "Look up!" Zim did as told and watched as the little robot flew here and there shooting whatever Irken he could.

"Gir! Cover your master!" Zim watched Gir's eyes flash red at his command. He saluted and swooped down picking up a crate and dropping it a few meters in front of Zim. Zim ran out from behind the cover and slid behind the crate.

Zim's antennae rattled signaling the incoming danger. Irken gaurds had focused on him now. Zim reached out his arm snatching the laptop just as a laser had shot. It hit the floor with a sizzle. Zim flinched and blinked. Back in cell. It was dark and quiet. He looked down at his lap, the laptop was still in his hands.

Zim began typing away. They needed a layout, a map of the Armada. That was difficult to secure, even for the Tallest. Thankfully Zim had done it before, back on- he didn't want to speak of this.

The computer keys clicking echoed throughout the cell. He paused rubbing at his face as files scrolled across the screen. However the clicks still continued. Zim looked down at his hands, they weren't typing, what were those clicks? He blinked.

The clicks were still present louder than in the cell. A burning sensation filled his body as the clicks continued. The world around him began to fade away when he looked around, as if he was dreaming and about to wake up. Zim looked back down at the laptop typing and clicking as fast as he could. Something wasn't right with his PAK.

Zim froze and looked over at Dib and Gaz. They were panting and kneeling the laser pistols on the floor in front of them. They were humans. They needed rest. They had limits. Zim couldn't die on them now, he needed to get them out. Zim knew this idea was risky, but if it kept him alive for now it'll be fine

Zim reached behind him pressing the top button twice, the middle twice, and the bottom twice. With that the PAK fell off his back with a clang. The world around him came back full force causing him to scream in shock. He turned to look at Dib who looked up just as he screamed.

Fear, worry, and anger danced around Dib's eyes. "ZIM **££%&÷ |}}•!" Zim didn't understand Dib without his PAK, but he knew the human was yelling at him about his PAK.

Zim turned back to the laptop, the Irken language clear and present before him. With a deep breath Zim clicked file after file, opening doors, closing others. Shutting power down in some areas while keeping power on in others. Zim felt adrenaline surge through him. He was the one in charge, just like he had been back on- no not now.

Zim looked at the Irken gaurds they had gotten closer. He had to take the gaurds he had no choice. He glanced at Dib and Gaz they had begun shooting once more. Zim looked back down at the laptop clicking on the PAK files. Zim thenb realized he didn't know what these Irkens names were.

Zim glanced down at the PAK files. His antennae perked when an idea flashed across him. He began typing away freezing momentarily at the voice from his PAK.

**"5 minutes remaining."**

He narrowed his eyes and glanced at the gaurds from behind the crate. He bit his lip and pressed enter. One by one the gaurds PAK fell off hitting the metallic floors below with clank after clank. The gaurds stopped. Some fell to their knees knowing what had just happened. Others screamed in fear while trying to reattach their PAKs.

**"2 minutes remaining."**

Zim had to get Dib and Gaz to the loading dock at fast. Zim shut the laptop and stood picking up his PAK with him. He waved over at Dib and Gaz before taking off running, or more like jogging. His body weak from the damage he and his PAK had received. He didn't need to turn back to see if they were following, he could hear there heavy shoes beating the metal floor behind him.

Outside in the halls other Irken gaurds were crying and screaming. Zim chose to ignore their cries for help. He couldn't help them even if he wanted to. He had disarmed the PAKs meaning they weren't going back on, ever again.

**"50 seconds remaining."**

Zim picked up the pace following light after light. They were his guide just as he was the humans guide. Zim cheered when he saw the docks ahead of them. Confused and scared drones ran about the docks not knowing what was going on.

**"20 seconds remaining."**

Zim felt his legs give out beneath him. His body had begun to succumb to his wounds and exhaustion. Zim reached behind him letting the PAK reconnect with his body. The world around him immediately began fading as his body begun burning from the inside. Zim let out agony filled cries before he felt arms wrap around him and lift him.

"Don't you fucking die now Zim!" Dib's voice said as Zim's world faded to black. Did he turn the lights on the dock off too? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! Please share, leave a kudos, and especially comment, please I've been feeling very bad about my writing recently so please? I hope you all enjoyed.
> 
> Questions? Fanart? Just wanna talk? Find me on:  
> Instagram: ready1set2die3  
> Tumblr: ready1set2die3

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! Please share, leave a kudos, and especially a comment! Later all! 
> 
> Questions? Fanart? Wanna talk? Find me on:  
> Instagram: ready1set2die3  
> Tumblr: ready1set2die3


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